Thill-coupling.



No. 658,762. Patented Oct. 2, 1900. J. a. .1. DAVIS.

THILL COUPLING.

(Application filed June 1, 1900.)

WITNESSES %NVE1V OR I 3 UNITED STATES FFi'ic' E;

PATENT JOHN GADDY JONES DAVIS, or AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE, HALF TO JOSEPH H. DAY, or SAME PLACE;

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIOIT formingpart of Letters Jiatent iv'o. 658,762, dated October 2, 190i).

Application filed June 1, 1900.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, JOHN GADDY JONES DA- We, of Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ThiIP-Couplin gs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the' invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates to an improvement in thill-couplings, and more particularly to antirattling devices therefor, the object of the invention being to provide a simple, cheap, and readily-operated device which can be applied to the ordinary form of thill-coupling and thill-iron without any change in the construc- MOI; of either and without the employment of too s.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the parts and combination of parts and in the details of construction, as will be more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section of same. Fig. 3 is a detached view of locking and antirattling device, and Fig. 4 is a view of the coupling-pin.

1 represents the clip, secured on the axle 2 in the usual manner and provided with the spaced jaws or lugs 3, having the ordinary holes or openings therein for the passage of.

the coupling-pin 4. The chill-iron, which is also constructed in the usual manner, is provided with an opening for the passage of the coupling-pin 4 and snugly fits between the jaws or lugs 3. The coupling-pin 4 projects on both sides beyond the jaws or lugs 3 and is provided at a point near each end outside of said jaws or lugs with a groove 5, in which the spring 6 bears. This spring 6 is first bent into U shape, so as to straddle or embrace the jaws or lugs 3 from their upper sides, while their depending members rest against the rear side of the couplingpin and within the grooves 5, formed in said coupling-pin. Each depending member of the spring is then bent to form one or more spring-coils 7, and the free ends 8 of the spring are then carried Serial No. 18,741. \No model.)

forwardly and passed inwardly through holes formed in the depending lips 9 of the camlever 10. The ends 8 of the spring 6 form the fulcrum of the cam-lever 10, while the camsurface 11 of said lever rests against the under face of the thill-iron 12. This cam-lever is preferably made of sheet metal and is shaped, as shown, to pass down under the clip and is then bent upwardly and provided near its free end with a catch or shoulder 14, which latter is adapted to engage the upper face of the rear end of the block 15 and lock the parts in position, the eXtreme upper end .of the cam-lever being curved rearwardly to form a handle or thumb-piece 16.

To apply my improvement to the coupling and thill-iron, the latter is first removed and the spring placed in position over the jaws or lugs 3, the cam-lever simply hanging from the spring. The thill-iron is then placed in position, coupling-pin 4 inserted, and the parts locked in position by simply forcing the camlever up until the catch 14 thereof engages the block 15. The movement of the cam-lever 10 forces the side members of the spring solidly against the coupling-pin 4 and absolutely prevents the slightest longitudinal movement of the pin, while the cam-surface 11 is forced against the underface of the thill-iron 12. Thus it will be seen that the action of the spring in forcing the pin -4 against the jaws or lugs 3 and holding it practically solid thereagainst and the cam 11 forcing the thill-iron against the pin absolutely prevents any lost motion between these parts and the consequent disagreeble noise incident thereto. Again, by constructing the parts so that they may be applied to the ordinary thill-coupling it will be seen that to apply the improvement to vehicles now in use it is simply necessary to remove the screwbolt ordinarily employed for coupling the thill-iron to the jaws or lugs and apply the spring and cam-lever and substitute for the screw-bolt removed the grooved couplingin 4. p It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangements of the several parts might be made Without avoiding my invention, and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described; but,

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an antirattling device for thill-couplings, the combination with a clip and thilliron, of a coupling-pin, a spring carried by the jaws or lugs of the clip and engaging the ends of the pin and a cam fulcrnmed on the free ends of the spring and engaging the under face of the thi1l-iron.

2. In an antirattling device for thill-couphugs, the combination with a clip and th lliron, of a coupling-pin having circumferential grooves near its ends, a spring resting on the jaws or lugs of the clip and within the grooves in the coupling-pin, a cam-lever fulcrumed on said spring and means for looking the cam-lever in position.

3. In an antirattling' device for thill-couplings, the combination with a clip and thilliron, of a coupling-pin, a spring supported by the clip and bearing against the couplingpin, and a cam-lever fulcrumed on the free ends of the spring, the cam portion of said lever bearing against the under face of the thill-iron, the said cam-lever being shaped to embrace the lower end of the clip and provided near its free end with a shoulder adapted to engage the clip.

4:. In an antirattling device for thill-conpliugs, the combination with a clip and thilliron, of a coupling-pin, a spring having its intermediate portion adapted to rest upon the jaws or lugs of the clip and each arm of the spring coiled below said jaws or lugs, a camlever fulcrumed on the free ends of said spring and means for attaching the lever to the clip to lock said lever in its operative position.

5. In an antirattling device for thill-coup lings, the combination with a clip and thilliron, of a coupling-pin, a spring shaped as shown and supported on the jaws or lugs of the clip and a sheet-metal cam-lever pivotally attached to the free ends of the spring and removably connected with the clip.

6. Asanew article of manufacture, anantirattling device for thill-couplings, consisting of a spring adapted to rest on the jaws or lugs of the clip and bear at an intermediate point against the coupling-pin, the free end of said spring disposed to terminate below the coupling-iron and a cam-lever having a part to be attached to the clip and fulcrumed on the free ends of the spring, the cam portion of said lever adapted to bear against the under face of the thill-iron. n

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN GADDY JONES DAVIS.

Witnesses:

L. H. SUNKINs, O. L. DAVENPORT, Jr. 

